Decriminalization won’t be renewed

published on January 15, 2026 by Alec Lazenby in Vancouver Sun

The province’s drug decrim­in­al­iz­a­tion test is com­ing to an end, three years after it was intro­duced with much fan­fare as a meas­ure meant to reduce stigma toward drug users and keep them alive until they could receive treat­ment.

The pilot project was put in place in Janu­ary 2023 after Health Canada gran­ted an exemp­tion allow­ing adult drug users to pos­sess small amounts of opioids, crack and powdered cocaine, methamphet­am­ine and MDMA.

It is set to expire on Jan. 31 and won’t be renewed, the B.C. gov­ern­ment announced Wed­nes­day.

Health Min­is­ter Josie Osborne said it was clear the pro­gram wasn’t work­ing given increased pub­lic drug use and street dis­order, and that the province would not apply to Health Canada to extend the exemp­tion…